Florida trip: Days 4-5

Day 4
Today's destination was Sugar Sand Park, which was highly recommended both by Dad and my high school friend A, who lives nearby. No wonder! This place is i-m-p-r-e-s-s-i-v-e. Besides a large acreage and a bunch of ball fields and other team-sport facilities, there's a playground like none other. It includes swings and balance and climbing equipment like you'd expect in a playground, but that's just the beginning. There's a water play area that Boy 1 and Boy 2 took to right away.

They might look unsure here, but don't be fooled. Both boys had so much fun they had to be pried away from the water area when the rest of us were ready to check out the rest of the park.

(photo by Dad) Aunt J, Boy 2, Girlie, me, A, and A's son E, post-soaking

Every one of us enjoyed exploring in the three-story structure that surrounds the playground. I took a ton of pictures, but none really captures the scope of this enormous playhouse. You don't just climb up and down in it. Inside are unexpected twists and turns that take you to spots you didn't know were there but were very happy to find. There are stairs, ladders, slides, little cubbyholes for hiding, wide passageways that narrow to crawl-though tunnels, and little rooms filled with buttons, levers, murals, mirrors, and other props for imaginative play such as launching a spaceship and making music. I can't imagine what the blueprints for this structure must look like.

Girlie liked climbing up and down.

Aunt J and Boy 2 come down the slide together. She had to duck a bit here, but this area really is built for adults to enjoy right along with kids.

Girlie rings bells in the outdoor music area.

Boy 1 checks out the far side of the playhouse with Grandpa.

A wisely recommended a snack-and-regroup break before continuing. All of us big people appreciated a moment to sit still after a whole lot of kid chasing. And as you can see, by this point Boy 2 and E especially were well past their initial shyness and thoroughly enjoying each other's company. (Makes sense since they're only a few days apart in age.)

Then we went on the Children's Science Explorium, also part of Sugar Sand Park.

First thing we saw on coming inside was a traveling exhibit on robots. R2D2 and C3PO, Wall-e, Buzz Lightyear...was this up Boy 1's alley!

Bernoulli's principle: We have a similar exhibit at our museum at home, but this one features three more kid-sized blowers instead of one large one, a little different experience.

Boy 1 enjoyed fixing up the racecar (and learning about simple machines).

Not quite tall enough to reach the ones without stepstools, but Girlie still had fun checking things out.

Boy 1 slides through the light tunnel.

Boy 2 and E find a place to hide. Boo!

And finally we had to try out the carousel.

That's Boy 2, spotted by Dada, on a horse. Boy 1 wasn't too keen on the horse idea and opted for the carriage, accompanied by Uncle T, instead.

After nearly five hours spent at the park, we were hungry and hot. We retired to Dad and L's for the rest of the day. The kids spent another happy few hours running around in the yard, chasing ducks, playing hide and seek with Aunt J, and playing with the new toys Grandpa brought home. (I think Grandpa likes the idea of working for a toy company as much as his grandkids appreciate the products.)

It turns out Boy 1 and Aunt J both like SpongeBob. (Who knew, on both counts?) They were perfectly happy doing a SpongeBob puzzle book.

Uncle Torture would be a continuous theme this week. Fortunately, said uncle seemed to enjoy being poked and wrestled by Boy 2.

The patio was the place to be, with a lovely view of the back yard and a nice breeze from three sides coming in.

Girlie, in the fountain again, while Aunt J chases Boy 2 in a game of hide and seek

By now Dad and I were not feeling so good. A couple of viruses were making themselves known. By the time the Ms left the E home that night, Dad and I both thought it would be best to take things a little easier tomorrow.

Day 5
After somewhat of a rough night, we truly did take it slower. We didn't even hurry enough to make it to breakfast this morning. Instead, we slept in a bit, lazed around watching cartoons in the hotel room, and then started the day with brunch. Pancakes sounded good, so we found an IHOP.

Boy 1 worked his first crossword puzzle on the back of the kids' menu while we waited.

These kids can eat some pancakes!

And then we went back to the hotel and lounged a bit more. By midday, we were mostly feeling rested and like ourselves again, and we all spent a leisurely afternoon and evening at the Es' house.

Much to Grandma's continuing terror, Girlie enjoyed climbing up and down precariously on a stepstool. I'm happy to report that despite the antics, she only stumbled once.

Show off!

Well, I say "leisurely," but that probably didn't apply to L, who (besides the Girlie chair-climbing anxiety) again outdid herself with a truly fantastic supper. And no wonder. It was an extra special evening since her son, M, and his new wife, J, also joined us.

I didn't get a usable picture, but Boy 1 spent quite some time telling Uncle M stories to go along with the illustrations in the drawing pad he had mostly filled on the way down. Boy 2 got a kick out of Aunt J's jokes about the kids getting cat food for dinner. The boys really enjoyed meeting them.

Aunt J watches while Boy 2, Girlie, and Uncle M peek-a-boo.

High-five--nope, missed!